Data storage systems are used to store information provided by one or more host computer systems. Such data storage systems receive requests to write information to a plurality of data storage devices, and requests to retrieve information from that plurality of data storage devices.
In certain embodiments, each of the data storage devices cannot automatically provide a “device present” signal. Using such data storage devices, prior art methods must power up all the data storage devices that might be present, and then discover the data storage devices actual present. In order to prevent deleterious power surges, the prior art methods sequentially provide power to groupings comprising all of the potential data storage disks. Such sequencing or staggering of the data storage device power on process over all potentially present data storage devices requires an increased time with respect to powering on groupings of data storage devices actually known to be disposed in the storage system
What is needed is an apparatus and method to first detect the plurality of data storage devices actually disposed in a data storage system, and then powering up those detected data storage devices.